This invention relates to a fluid-powered sprinkler system and more particularly to a brake means for a fluid-powered sprinkler system of the water or air powered type.
Air-powered sprinkler systems such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,161 are employed to irrigate large areas of land around a center pivot. A plurality of drive towers are provided along the length of the overhead water supply pipe to propel the supply pipe around the center pivot.
In an air-powered sprinkler system such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,161, and the system disclosed in the patent application filed Jan. 10, 1975, Ser. No. 540,112 entitled AN AIR-POWERED SPRINKLER SYSTEM now U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,942, a problem arises in that the towers tend to roll down steep inclines thereby becoming out of alignment with the other towers. Frequently, wind will also undesirably move the water supply pipe and drive towers due to the force of the wind acting thereagainst.
A brake means was disclosed in the co-pending application which truely represented a distinct improvement in the art. The brake means of this invention represents an improvement over the invention of the co-pending application.
Therefore, it is a principle object of the invention to provide a brake means for a fluid-powered sprinkler system.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a brake means for an air-powered sprinkler system which prevents the drive towers from rolling down inclines.
A further object of the invention is to provide a brake means for an air-powered sprinkler system which prevents the associated drive tower from moving unless the drive cyliner is moving through its drive stroke.
A further object of the invention is to provide a brake means for an air-powered sprinkler system which may be employed on the intermediate drive towers or on the lead drive tower of the sprinkler system.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a brake means for an air-powered sprinkler system which is economical to manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.